Goodbye, My Love
by MysticOTDH
Summary: Waking up to a beautiful winter's morning, Cynder would not be happier. With two beautiful children and a handsome mate to call her own, life was bliss for the black dragoness, and she had never felt more elated. But when Spyro goes missing, she learns a terrible truth that will change her life forever...


**Author's Note:**

**Hey Everyone! Got a very different type of one-shot for you guys today. This one is… gonna be hard for me to write. It's completely out of my comfort zone and I reckon it will be hard for you guys to read it too. This was a challenge that was issued by the Spyro Fanfiction Discord server that I am currently a part of, and it was to do with 'separation.' So… you'll see where I went with it when I begin this one shot. I will warn you, it may be upsetting for some.**

**Hope you guys enjoy it, and grab some tissues, cause this will be hard on the heart.**

**Hope you enjoy the one-shot, and I'll see you in the next one.**

**WARNING: This one-shot may be upsetting for some readers. Discretion is advised.**

* * *

**Goodbye, My Love**

It was a cold, winter's morning. The sun was barely peeking over the horizon, sending shrouds of orange and a haze of early morning over the world. A brisk wind blew over the grassland, making it sway on the ground as if dancing to a gentle rhythm. It was as if the world was dancing to its own rhythm. The music of nature.

In the grand city of Warfang, sleeping soundly and smothered in each other's embraces, Spyro and Cynder, the saviours of the world, were caught in a peaceful slumber. Their chests rose and fell with each soft intake of breath, snuggling into each other's warmth. Stirring suddenly, Cynder began to wake, her emerald eyes opening slowly as she groaned from being interrupted from her slumber. Yawning and exposing her pearl-white teeth, Cynder peered down at her mate, his amethyst scales glowing as the sun met them. She gave him a soft nuzzle before making her way slowly off of the bed, stretching her tendons and muscles and sighing in satisfaction upon hearing a few clicks around her body. Leaving Spyro to rest, the black dragoness made her way downstairs, wondering what to get herself for breakfast.

She pondered for a few moments, debating whether to have a special meat or porridge. Meat was tempting for her, but syrup flavoured porridge managed to win her over. Thinking of Spyro, Cynder made him a steaming bowl of the sweet smelling substance after eating her own portion, and sighed at the feeling of a full belly. Placing the contents onto a tray and making her way up the stairs, she could hear Spyro snoring wildly as he slept, making her chuckle at the noise that sounded almost like Terrador passing wind. Upon entering the room, Cynder found Spyro on his back with his hind legs in the air, a spot of dribble falling down the side of his mouth. It was almost too good of a sight to wake him up. After all, they did have a late night last night.

Spyro had treated Cynder to a night out that she loved. It began in the restaurant where Spyro had taken her for a date, followed by a flight, and then back home for a hot chocolate and snuggles by the fire. It was a glorious evening, especially for Cynder. She was fairly sure that she didn't stop smiling the entire time she was by Spyro's side; the fact that her cheeks were aching backed up that notion.

Cynder could not deny, however, that Spyro had completely stolen her heart. They had now been mates for almost thirty years, and she could barely believe it. Since her confession after defeating Malefor and restoring peace to the realms, her love for Spyro grew substantially with each passing day. It was as if the mere sight of him was enough to make her heart skip a beat, and melt into his arms. Spyro of course was quite the charmer, but Cynder usually had her own ways to get back at him. She would sometimes tease him by flicking her tailblade across his cheek, or a flirtatious look in her eyes. But those eyes. Those amethyst eyes that shone with bravery and heroism mesmerised her everytime she gazed into them. It was as if she was in a trance, sometimes unable to blink for long periods of time. Spyro was perfect to her, even if his accident-prone nature sometimes ruined the washing up by turning it into a 'tidy up broken crockery' activity. The sight that befell upon her that morning certainly proved that he was one of a kind. Oh how she loved Spyro.

She placed the tray down next to him and nuzzled his cheek, making him stir and his eyes to open slightly. A small smile came to his face as he saw Cynder leaning over him with shining eyes, the scent of porridge filling his nostrils.

"Good morning," he said groggily.

"Morning Spyro, seems like you slept well," Cynder chuckled, remembering Spyro's snoring. "If the snoring was anything to go by."

"I do not snore," Spyro defended, opening his eyes to full capacity and letting out a yawn.

"That's difficult to believe," Cynder mused. "I bet they could hear you from the temple, especially since it sounds like one of Terrador's farts."

Spyro groaned in embarrassment, throwing a pillow over his face and blushing as red as a tomato.

"I wouldn't change it for the world though," Cynder smiled, rubbing a paw over Spyro's chest. "I do know one thing that you like more than sleep though."

"What's that?" Spyro asked, moving the pillow off of his face.

Cynder brought the tray from the other side of the bed so that it was in Spyro's view, his mouth beginning to water at the sight of the syrup porridge.

"You're the best!" Spyro shouted, giving Cynder a small kiss on the cheek.

"Shhh, not so loud!" Cynder chuckled. "You'll wake the kids."

"They sleep through anything," Spyro smirked. "Remember that storm we had?"

"The one which you fell into a bog and had to have two baths?"

"No, the other one. The one where we had just come back from Cyril's anniversary party," Spyro reminded her.

"Oh right, now I remember. That one was pretty bad, I was fairly sure we would have to play 'mummy and daddy snuggles' all night. Not that I would mind of course."

"I don't know how you do it sometimes," Spyro grinned. "You're always so good with them. Whenever they cry, you're always there to make them stop. Usually I just make it worse."

"Hey, they love their daddy just as much as they love me," Cynder said to him. "You're doing a great job, so stop doubting yourself okay?"

"It's just hard sometimes," Spyro confessed, taking a mouthful of porridge. "One moment I have to be at the Guardian temple so I don't get to see them, and then when I finally do… I just… sort of… freeze."

"Hey, they're only young, Spyro," Cynder reminded him. "They're very adventurous and usually get themselves into mischief. Now who does that remind you of?"

"Very funny… but if you remember back then Cynder, I nearly got myself killed, I just don't want anything to happen to the kids."

"They'll be fine Spyro. After all, they have the purple dragon as their father. If that's not enough to scare people off then I don't know what is."

"Your temper?" Spyro chuckled, not able to resist the reference to Cynder's thunderous temper.

"Maybe that too."

After a few minutes, Spyro had finished the porridge that Cynder had made for him, thanking her with a nuzzle and a swift kiss on the cheek. Getting up from the bed and stretching out, Spyro and Cynder made their way over to where the children were sleeping, entering the room with soft steps. When they entered, the dragon parents couldn't help but smile with pride and happiness. The youngest, Daerus, was sleeping soundly next to his older sister. Even though he was only a young boy of five, he had quite the heart on him for someone so small. He had bright red scales with a white underbelly, rising and falling as he let out small snores. His wing membranes were gold, and he had shining sapphire eyes.

Spyro saw him as the second in command. The deputy head of the family which Cynder usually got quite irritated at, but they loved the little fire dragon with all their hearts. Especially, his eccentric and excitable nature.

Next to him, was his older sister, Bailia. She was curled up around him with a paw over his eyes, making Cynder chuckle a little at the sight. She had yellow scales with a magenta underbelly, mimicking her father's scale colour. The best thing about her, was that she had her mother's eyes, reminding Spyro a lot of Cynder whenever he saw them. Bailia was seven years of age, just two years older than her brother who was sleeping next to her. Sometimes, however, due to her attitude, it did seem like she was an angsty teenat times rather than an average seven year old dragoness.

Cynder sneaked past Spyro and over towards the sleeping younglings, nuzzling them softly to wake them up.

"Wake up little ones, you've got school soon," Cynder whispered, purring slightly as she nuzzled.

Within an instant, a pair of emerald eyes began to open, a look of annoyance beginning to form on the little dragoness' face.

"I don't wanna go to school," whined Bailia who turned over to fall back to sleep.

"Well I don't want to go to the guardian's meeting either but we all have to do things we don't want to do," Cynder replied, continuing to nuzzle her. "Now come on, get your butt out of bed and maybe you might get syrup porridge."

"Huh?! Porridge?!" Daerus suddenly shouted, running off of the bed and jumping up and down.

"Yep! If your sister gets herself out of bed, I'll make you some before you head off to school," Cynder laughed, smiling at her son's actions.

"Wake up Bailia, wake up! We get porridge!" Daerus exclaimed, attempting to push his sister out of bed.

"Alright, alright! Fine, I'm getting up," Bailia groaned, making her way off of the bed and stretching.

Daerus however, was already racing down the stairs, giving his daddy a hug before heading into the kitchen. A few minutes later, Spyro, Cynder and an irritated Bailia made their way into the kitchen, where Daerus was waiting patiently for his breakfast. It was quite impressive how quickly Daerus could turn from sleepy to excited and hungry at the same time. It reminded Cynder of Spyro, and it warmed her heart seeing her little boy become so much like his father.

After making Daerus and Bailia their breakfast and getting them ready for school, Spyro and Cynder left their house with the children in tow, dropping them off at the dragon academy before heading towards the temple. The two dragons made their way through the streets, greeting passers by as they went. Neither of them liked the fame and glory, being pestered to explain how they saved the world and survived already sealed that fact. They just wanted to be treated as equals. Like a normal, everyday dragon. As they reached the temple, Volteer, Terrador and Cyril were waiting patiently outside, looking out for them both.

"Good morning Spyro!" Volteer exclaimed. "And to you too Cynder! It is most exciting, exhilarating and wonderful to see you in such high spirits on this fine winter's dawn."

"Likewise Volteer," replied Cynder, trying to stifle a giggle.

"Is there anything to silence that incessant tongue of yours?" Cyril groaned.

"If you two start again, I might actually stuff dirt in your mouths so you can't talk," Terrador warned, reaching the end of his tether from the amount of bickering that had occured. "Anywho, good morning Spyro, Cynder. I hope you had a pleasant night last night."

"Yes Terrador, it was wonderful," Cynder replied, nuzzling Spyro.

"I am glad, now come on you two. We have important matters to discuss."

The guardians led the dragon couple into the meeting room, which was filled with a large oval table and pedestals. The room was also filled with light, beaming through the windows and making the space seem more natural. A large chandelier was stationed above the table, decorated with a series of candles and a golden dragon embroidered on it. There were two large bookshelves on either side of the room, filled with books that were lined up like soldiers on the shelves.

Spyro and Cynder sat in their specified seats while the guardians did the same. The meeting seemed to go on for hours for Cynder. It bored her to death to sit there and listen to how the city's economy was doing, or how many soldiers that Warfang had at its disposal. Either way, it made no difference to her. Spyro put his elbow and the table and learned on it, pretending to fall asleep and making Cynder chuckle a little.

"I'm sorry, did I say something funny?" Cyril asked sternly, slightly annoyed that his speech was interrupted. "I'll have you know that a shortage of quill ink is not a laughing matter. How will I write my speeches?"

Volteer rolled his eyes as Spyro desperately tried not to burst out laughing at Cyril's reasoning. Despite his best efforts, Cyril was rather a bother when it came to speeches. They would last two hours at most, sometimes reaching four depending on the occasion. The amount that his fellow guardians and Spyro and Cynder had listened to was paramount. There seemed no end sometimes to his ancestral past or how long it took him to learn his element. It all ended the same way, however, with Cyril taking a bow and saying 'thank you' while everyone awkwardly clapped. Cynder always found it amusing how all the guardians acted interested, but really they were thinking about what they were having for dinner that evening.

"Sorry Master Cyril," chuckled Cynder, receiving a look of thanks from Terrador who was slowly losing the will to live. "Spyro here was sleeping because of a large amalgamation of words."

Spyro burst out laughing at Cynder words, banging the table with his paw as tears filled his eyes. Even Volteer and Terrador seemed to chuckle, trying desperately to not show a sign of laughter.

"I'll have you know Cynder that to make fun of a guardian is both tedious and scrutinising!" Cyril thundered.

"Yeah, and so is blubbering out thousands of words of how your ancestors invented the sewing machine!" Cynder replied, making the entire table cry with laughter.

Cyril just sat there, annoyed and irritated. Spyro on the other hand, was finding it hard to breathe with the amount of laughter he was emitting. Cynder did love seeing Spyro so happy. Over the last few weeks, Spyro had never been happier, never dropping a smile from his face for even a split second. On an occasion, Cynder had heard him singing the children to sleep one night, making her eyes shine with love and her heart to melt at the sound of his voice. It was low and lush, matching each note perfectly in a blissful melody.

Spyro managed to calm himself down, unable to hide the smile, however, that remained plastered on his face. Terrador too regained his breath before clearing his throat and pushing himself up onto all fours.

"Ahem… well I think that concludes our meeting," Terrador chuckled, wiping a tear from his eye. "You may go."

Spyro and Cynder stood themselves up and headed towards the door with their tails entwined. They got as far as the door frame before Volteer called out to them.

"Spyro? Could we have a word with you for a bit please?" Volteer asked politely, his expression changing to one of worry.

"Uh, sure Volteer," Spyro replied nervously, giving Cynder a reassuring smile. "You go on ahead, I'll be home soon."

"Okay."

Cynder made her way towards the temple exit, thinking about Volteer's expression. It was slightly concerning, knowing that when Volteer lost his basic expression of happiness, something was happening, or he was thinking intensely. Nevertheless, Cynder made her way back home to relax before the school rush to pick up the kids. She very rarely had time to herself now that she was a full time mum and wife, usually having to commit all of her time to keeping her family safe. Now though, she found time to finally do the things that she wanted, and that meant that she could finally catch up on some reading.

Cynder loved books, especially romance ones. Opening a book and reading is the one thing that relaxed her the most, usually when it contained a hero rescuing a damsel in distress. In addition to this, it reminded her very much of when Spyro saved her from the darkness. She even thought about writing her own book at one point, but decided against it due to other commitments. Cynder sat herself down on the sofa and picked up the book she was currently reading.

It was about a cheetah in shining armour, rescuing a maiden in a tower. It was cliche, but it didn't bother her much. It was the language, the imagery and the thrill of vocabulary that excited her. Learning new words was a joy to Cynder, scaring her slightly as she thought she was turning into Volteer at one point. The hours passed as she immersed herself in the book, turning each page with delight. Before she knew it, it was time to pick up Bailia and Daerus from the dragon academy. Wondering where the time had gone, she left the house and began to walk towards the school, seeing Bailia and Daerus standing outside the tall building patiently.

"Hello you two," Cynder said sweetly.

"Mummy!" the two of them shouted in unison, wrapping their wings around her and nuzzling her arms.

"Did you have a good day?" Cynder asked them, nuzzling Daerus.

"I managed to perfect my fire blast today!" Daerus exclaimed, bouncing up and down.

"Well done! You better tell Daddy that when he gets home."

"Still trying to sort out my stupid comet dash," Bailia murmered. "It's frustrating me."

"You'll get it, it takes time to learn that type of attack. Took your Dad more than a few weeks to perfect it. Now come on, let's get you two home."

Cynder led her two children back through the streets of Warfang towards home. Despite all this, she was wondering how Spyro was doing, and what was taking him so long. Mother and children made their way through the streets, the sun beginning to set on the horizon and making the city shine with gold. Cynder always loved the sun set in the evening, watching it beam in between the buildings and shine on the rooftops before it disappears from sight entirely. It was one of many things that she loved to do. Aside from teasing Spyro of course.

Opening the door to the house, Cynder found Spyro sitting at the sofa, his face red from crying. He frantically wiped his eyes and placed a smile onto his face, scooping up Daerus in his arms and giving him a warm hug.

"Daddy! Guess what?"

"What?" Spyro asked, his voice breaking a little.

"I did perfected my fire blast today!" Daerus shouted in triumph.

"That's my boy!" Spyro exclaimed, wiping his eyes again. "What about you Bailia? What did you get up to?"

"Comet Dash is proving a pain," Bailia replied in an irritated tone. "I just can't seem to get it right."

"Well the Comet Dash is not an easy move to learn," Spyro explained, clearing his throat a little. "It takes time and a lot of practice. You've just gotta keep practicing and you'll get there."

"Thanks Dad," Bailia smiled, hugging her father before turning back towards Cynder.

"Alright, go and play you two," Cynder told them, turning her gaze to Spyro.

Daerus and Bailia made their way upstairs, leaving Spyro and Cynder alone in the living room. Cynder knew that something was up, never usually seeing Spyro this emotional before. The only time where he had been this upset was when Ignitus was lost to the Belt of Fire all those years ago. Cynder took a few steps forward, wrapping her wing around Spyro.

"Are you okay?" Cynder asked him.

"I'm fine," Spyro replied, making Cynder all the more suspicious.

"Spyro, you're a terrible liar," Cynder smirked. "Now tell me what is wrong."

Spyro thought for a moment, Cynder knowing that whatever was wrong with him was crushing him hard.

"I can't tell you Cynder," Spyro confessed sadly, his eyes filling with tears yet again.

"Why not?" Cynder asked him, getting more worried by the minute. "You're scaring me Spyro."

"I just can't tell you!" Spyro cried, breaking down into a sob.

Cynder just stared, her heart full of pity and sorrow. Of course she wanted to know what was wrong with him, but pressuring him wouldn't do any good. She merely wrapped him in a warm embrace and nuzzled his chin, making sure to let him know that he was not alone.

"You're not alone," Cynder said soothingly. "Whatever this problem is, we will get through it. Like we always do, together."

Spyro returned the nuzzle, hugging Cynder as tightly as he could. Cynder could feel his grip around her, making her even more concerned. He seemed scared, terrified almost. It worried her beyond comprehension. She released his grasp from her and sat him down on the sofa, wiping his tears with a soft paw. He smiled at her with sad eyes, placing a paw on her cheek.

"I love you, so much," Spyro smiled, caressing her cheek with his paw.

"I love you too, Spyro," Cynder cooed, leaning forward a placing a tender kiss on his lips.

Cynder loved it when they kissed. It sent a pleasant shiver down her spine everytime that her lips met with Spyro's. Just mere moments before their first kiss, Cynder's heart was pounding against her chest like a drum, her breathing sharp and short. It was nerve racking, standing in front of the dragon she loved, about to kiss him for the first time. But oh was it worth the wait. Sharing her first kiss with Spyro left Cynder speechless; the feeling was indescribable to her. Every kiss was treasured by the black dragoness as if it was their last.

Cynder pulled away from the kiss and brought Spyro in for another loving embrace. She peered at the window at the sun slowly setting, realising the time.

"It's getting late," Cynder said. "We better get the kids to bed and get some sleep ourselves."

"I think that's best," Spyro sighed, pushing himself up from the sofa.

Spyro, on the way up the stairs, began to cough and splutter, giving Cynder a reassuring smile once the coughing had subsided. After putting the kids to bed, the dragon couple laid themselves down and cuddled up to one another. Cynder looked down next to her to see Spyro already sleeping soundly, his breathing laboured and croaky. She was too worried about him to fall asleep, but it was proving difficult. Her eyes began to droop and she found it harder and harder to keep them above her eyes. After a few minutes, Cynder fell asleep, dreaming of Spyro and the children playing together in the sunshine.

* * *

The next morning, Cynder opened her eyes slowly, groaning as she left the peaceful shroud of sleep. Looking to her left, she realised that Spyro was no longer next to her. She sat up, looking around for any sign of the purple dragon.

"Spyro?" she called out to the household, getting no answer in return.

She made her way downstairs to see if he was already making breakfast, but there was no sign of him. Cynder checked the kid's room, but he wasn't there either. She began to grow stricken with worry. If the state that Spyro was in the night before was anything to go by, he could be in serious trouble.

"Mummy?" Daerus said, Cynder snapping her head in his direction. "Where's Daddy?"

"He's out at the moment darling," Cynder smiled, trying not to show her panic. "He should be back soon. Now go get your sister and get ready for school."

"Okay Mummy," Daerus answered, running back into his room to wake up his sister.

After getting the kids ready and dropping them off at the academy, Cynder asked around the city, seeing if anyone had seen Spyro. To add to her worry, no one had seen him since yesterday. Cynder tracked her mind back to yesterday, knowing that the only place left to look is the temple. She rushed through the streets, streaking past the market stalls and shops that were positioned either side of her. Reaching the temple, she bashed through the doors and into the meeting room, where the guardians were sat, looking upset and troubled.

"Where is Spyro?!" Cynder asked them breathlessly, tears beginning to form in her eyes.

Terrador turned to look at her, his face red from crying. In all her years, Cynder had never seen a guardian cry, until now. She looked at him with shock, knowing that this cannot be good.

"He's gone Cynder," Terrador said quietly, his voice low and croaky.

"What do you mean _gone_? Answer me!" she demanded, stamping her paw on the floor.

"I think It's time we explain what our little after-meeting session was all about," Volteer stated. "Well, Spyro came to us a few weeks back, complaining about heart pains and nausea. I thought it was just dragon sickness, but it is far worse than that."

"W-W-What are… are you... saying?" Cynder asked them, her heart breaking.

"Spyro's exposure to the Well of Souls all those years ago has finally caught up with him," Cyril continued, standing up. "Because the darkness was unable to consume his mind, it is consuming his body, tearing it apart. Volteer took a test of his blood and… it burned through the syringe and burned his paw in the meantime."

Volteer lifted up his paw, showing a deep burn in the centre of it, the scales charred and broken, revealing slightly burnt flesh.

"Why didn't you tell me about this?!" Cynder cried, her voice raised with a sense of anger.

"We followed Spyro's wishes," Cyril replied. "He did not want you to know of his fate."

Cynder felt a sledgehammer crush her heart at Cyril's words. This couldn't be happening. It couldn't. She needed to find him.

"Where is he now?" Cynder asked them, trying to hold back tears.

"We don't know Cynder," Terrador replied, a tear streaking down his face. "He came by this morning to say goodbye, and then left."

Upon hearing this, Cynder left the temple with a sense of dread and fear. The thought of losing Spyro was something that only occured in her nightmares, making her wake with fright and a terrible sweat. Now however, she knew that to save Spyro, she had to find him.

After hours of searching, Cynder began to lose hope, landing on a nearby mountain and crying bitter tears. Her heart was breaking with every second that passed, slamming her paws into the dirt in frustration. The sun was beginning to get low, painting the sky a bright orange. Birds flew gleefully around her as she stood, flying freely. A brisk wind blew across her face, making her shiver slightly, the leaves on the trees swaying as they were shunted by the force of the breeze. Suddenly, one last location came to Cynder's mind as she stared at the horizon, latching onto the last bit of hope that remained inside of Cynder. It was the place where they shared their first kiss. Quickly, she flapped her wings, taking off like a rocket towards Lyvia Lagoon. The last chance of finding Spyro.

A few minutes later, Cynder landed in an area surrounded by soft sand and a shimmering lagoon, overlooked by towering peaks that surrounded the clearing. The sun was still at large, but slowly dropping as the day grew older. Spyro had brought her here on their first date to see the sunset, but it was also where they had their first kiss, and where Spyro proposed.

"Spyro?!" she called out, turning frantically and kicking sand with her paws. "Spyro please!"

Nothing but silence returned to her as she called out, making the last bit of her hope disappear. As she was about to leave, Cynder heard the voice that she longed to hear.

"Hello Cynder."

The black dragoness spun round to see Spyro standing before her, but not in his usual state. His scales were scarred and burnt, exposing raw skin on his paws and some on his face. He was pale and his amethyst eyes had almost lost their colour, surrounded by bloodshot veins. Spyro grimaced as he took a step forward, limping as his charred arm dragged underneath him.

"Spyro… w-what…" Cynder gasped, horrified by the state of her mate.

"I didn't want you to see me like this," Spyro said softly, straining as he sat on his haunches. "It began a week ago; I kept taking red gems so that you wouldn't have to see me in this… state."

"Spyro… I… It wouldn't have mattered…" Cynder whimpered, tears coming to her eyes. "I would've taken care of you. The kids would've taken care of you."

"No, the last thing I wanted was for you and the kids to see me looking like… gah… a zombie… gah."

Spyro suddenly laid himself down, wincing at the pain he was in. Cynder rushed over to his side, realising that a black shroud was starting to form where his heart was positioned.

"I want you to know… before… before… I-I… go…" Spyro stammered.

"You're not going anywhere," Cynder interrupted, tears streaming down her face. "We'll take care of you, you're going to be fine. Everything is going to be fine. Where's your fighting spirit? We've gotten through worse than this."

"That… gah… that is… true… but not this… time."

Spyro suddenly broke into a small coughing fit, Cynder holding onto him and keeping him close.

"Don't talk like that!" Cynder cried. "You're going to be fine! You've got to be fine! You've got to live! For me! For our kids!"

"You… you don't… n-need… me… a-anymore…" Spyro gasped, Cynder's tears dripping onto the sand below.

"What are you talking about?! Of course I do!" Cynder sobbed. "I can't do this without you!"

Spyro fell into another wave of coughing, Cynder holding him in her wings. He looked up at her with drooping eyes, knowing that his life was hanging on by a threat. The shroud near his heart was growing wider with every second, draining his life force.

"I want… I want… you… to… k-know…" Spyro stammered, his voice weak and quiet.

"Shhh, s-s-save your strength now," Cynder said softly, emotions pouring through her like water into a jug.

"I… want you… to know… you are… the best thing… that has ever happened… to me. When… I saved you from… M-Malefor… gah… I knew that you were… more precious to me… than anything else… in this world…"

Cynder felt her whole world collapsing in front of her. All of her nightmares were coming true as Spyro clung onto his last few minutes of life.

"Stop… Stop talking like you're going to die…" Cynder sobbed, holding onto Spyro as if she was possessed.

"When… you said… yes to my… proposal… That… was the happiest moment… of my life…"

Spyro raised his paw and placed it on Cynder's cheek, tears beginning to form in the corners of his eyes as he stared into hers. Cynder grabbed it gently, her tears streaming down Spyro's arm.

"Take care… of our kids… Stay safe... "

"No… you can't go…"

"Cyn… der… I will… always… be with you…"

Spyro's breathing began to hitch, blood beginning to flow from his nostrils. Cynder held firm, supporting his body so that it was able to stay upright. She felt herself shaking and crying with sorrow.

"I… just want to… say…" Spyro gasped. "Thank you… for… making me… the happiest… dragon alive…"

"N-No… T-Thank you for saving me..." Cynder whispered, her voice breaking.

Spyro stared deeper into her eyes, tears now falling down the sides of his face.

"I-I… love you…"

Once he said his final words, Spyro's breathing became non-existent, and his body lost all signs of life. Cynder sat there on the sands of Lyvia Lagoon, cradling her lost hero in her arms and sobbing wildly. The sun beamed onto his charred scales, making the remnants of his amethyst colour gleam as it beamed onto the fallen hero. All nature seemed to grow silent as if the world knew that it had lost a very special creature. Cynder buried her face into his neck and cried bitter tears, squeezing his lifeless paw.

"I love you too…" she cried, her heart breaking with every second.

The black dragoness placed Spyro onto her back and flew to a nearby lake, finding a boat docked where she landed. It was small and dilapidated, but she knew that this would be the best that she could do. Placing Spyro inside and taking one last look at the dragon she loved, Cynder sobbed wildly as she saw her husband's body lying peacefully beneath her. Moving the small boat towards the ocean, she placed one last kiss on Spyro's forehead before pushing him out to sea.

"Goodbye, my love."

Cynder felt her heart break into a thousand pieces, the love of her life taken from her in the space of a day. Composing herself, she sent a ray of shadowflame towards the boat, setting it alight. As she watched the boat burn, Cynder stared out into the sunset, her eyes tired from crying. Her chest felt heavy and her legs trembled beneath her, the emotion taking a toll on the black dragoness' body. Her thoughts suddenly returned to her children, knowing that she would have to tell them that their father would not be coming home. Her heart broke for them also, knowing that they would have to deal with the loss of a parent at such an early age.

Turning to return home, she looked back at the boat that Spyro's body was placed. She took solace in the fact that he could now rest, sleeping peacefully for an eternity to come.

* * *

**Oh man, I dunno about you guys but… holy crap that was hard to write. I nearly made myself cry and that's a first. Well, I hope you guys enjoyed it. This was the first time that I had written something like this, and I have to say, that it was difficult. At some points, there were times where I thought this would amount to nothing, but it turns out that it turned out quite well. Again, I hope you guys enjoyed it. Let me know if there is anything I need to improve on as all constructive criticism is welcome.**

**Hope you guys have a great morning, afternoon or evening…**

**And this is Mystic… signing off ^_^**


End file.
